Project C Episodes

About Project C

Project C: Lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement is a series of electronic field trips occurring throughout the Civil Rights fiftieth anniversary years of 2013-2015 that focus on the role of citizenship in a democracy through the study of historical events.

More About Project C

About Project C

Project C:Lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement is a series of electronic field trips occurring throughout the Civil Rights fiftieth anniversary years of 2013-2015 that focus on the role of citizenship in a democracy through the study of historical events.

Join us over the course of each school year as we challenge today’s students to acquire the skills needed to examine, confront and overcome contemporary injustices while engaged in the study of the history of the American Civil Rights Movement. Explore the Project C resources online, and interact with experts, historians, social justice activists and more during our live interactive webcasts!

This online collaborative learning environment is designed to give participants a platform for the presentation of their solutions to civics-based issues. Project C is unfolding in real time and participant-generated content will be used to shape upcoming parts of the next webcast! The experience is designed to bring forth a sense of Community for all.

In these field trips we feature Alabama high school students as our "student reporters," and in partnership with American Graduate, we hope to further encouraging them of the importance of seeking post-graduation skills and career options.

Historical Context

Why Project C? In 1963, American civil rights advocates chose Birmingham, Alabama as the place to launch Project C (for Confrontation), a campaign of nonviolent direct actions against city segregation ordinances.

Through media attention, Project C brought nationwide awareness to the plight of African Americans in the United States. It was part of a larger campaign espousing non-violent, yet direct-action methods of confrontation – sit-ins at libraries and lunch counters, kneel-ins at white churches and protest marches in public parks and streets. These and other actions brought national attention to the inequality of America’s economic, legal and social systems – attention that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

With the C now standing for Community, Project C: Lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement will use the past to teach today’s youth the importance of civic engagement in support of a humane, civil and just society.

Project C Education Partners

Special thanks to Dr. Robert Corley, Alabama Humanities Advisor, and to our partners for Project C who have contributed resources, advice and expertise. Partners include the following: